#matariki: Matariki Herenga Waka: Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Welcomes the Nation to Takaparawhau

Thousands of people gathered at Takaparawhau on Friday as Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei hosted the national Hautapu Ā-Motu ceremony, marking Matariki with remembrance, renewal and a celebration of the Māori New Year under the theme Matariki Herenga Waka – For Everyone.

The dawn ceremony brought together whānau, iwi, community leaders and visitors from across Aotearoa to honour those who have passed, acknowledge the present and look forward with hope as the Matariki stars rose over Tāmaki Makaurau.

For Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, hosting the national hautapu was a significant acknowledgement of its role as mana whenua and an opportunity to share the history, tikanga and enduring connection of the iwi to Takaparawhau with the wider nation.

The occasion reinforced the importance of recognising the cultural significance of one of Aotearoa’s most iconic landscapes, a place that has long held deep historical, spiritual and political importance for Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. It also reflected the growing national recognition of Māori traditions and the role of mana whenua in welcoming people onto ancestral lands.

The resurgence of Matariki over recent years has become one of the country’s most significant cultural developments. Since becoming a public holiday, participation has expanded rapidly, with communities throughout New Zealand embracing dawn ceremonies, hautapu, kapa haka, storytelling, stargazing and whānau gatherings.

For many Māori, the renewed focus on Matariki has supported the revitalisation of mātauranga Māori, strengthened the use of te reo Māori and encouraged younger generations to reconnect with cultural practices that were once suppressed through colonisation and assimilation.

The theme Matariki Herenga Waka – For Everyone reflected the belief that while Matariki is deeply rooted in te ao Māori, its values of remembrance, gratitude, renewal and collective wellbeing have universal relevance.

By opening the hautapu ceremony to people from all backgrounds, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei sought to foster greater understanding of Māori traditions while creating opportunities for all New Zealanders to participate respectfully in one of the country’s most important cultural observances.

The ceremony also highlighted the relationship between people, the environment and the stars, reminding participants of the importance of caring for the natural world and recognising the interconnectedness of whenua, moana and sky.

For rangatahi growing up in urban centres such as Tāmaki Makaurau, these traditions provide an opportunity to strengthen identity, deepen connections to whakapapa and develop a greater understanding of the responsibilities that come with being kaitiaki for future generations.

As more Māori live in urban environments, ceremonies such as hautapu offer an important cultural anchor, reconnecting young people with ancestral knowledge, seasonal rhythms and values centred on whanaungatanga, manaakitanga and collective responsibility.

The success of this year’s national ceremony demonstrates how Matariki continues to evolve as both a distinctly Māori celebration and an occasion that brings communities together across Aotearoa.

As the country enters another Māori New Year, the message from Takaparawhau was clear: honour the past, care for one another, protect the environment and move into the future united in hope.

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